03/04 Thatcham Marsh LNR

Location: Thatcham Marsh LNR

Session: 03-Apr-2016 07:15 to 11:15 hrs

Headlines: The first session on the LNR for this year; always a bit hit and miss. Still a little early for acrocephalus warblers; 9th Apr 2011 earliest for Sedge and Reed Warbler capture at this site, so next week hopefully. The bridge across the Moor stream is still a bit scary particularly placing and removing the plank (thanks Duncan save me on my hands and knees). Good to capture a few Phylos warblers. The 2 year 194day Chiffchaff had not been recaptured since ringing 22nd Sep 2013

Weather: sunny periods, cool light wind

Present: JL, IW, DL

Nets: 216metres in a reed bed ride of 198M and a scrub ride 18M up from 07:30 to 10:30hrs

Lure (None): .
Capture (New/Recapture) 14 (8/6): Blackbird 1/0, Bullfinch 0/1, Cetti’s Warbler 3/1, Chiffchaff 3/1, Long-tailed Tit 0/1, Reed Bunting 1/1, Willow Warbler 1/0, Wren 2/0
Recaptures: 8 – Blackbird 1y 336d, Bullfinch 218d, Cetti’s Warbler 182d, Chiffchaff 2y 194d, Long-tailed Tit 182d, Reed Bunting 168d
Plumage Age Range: 1st winter Bullfinch 1, Chiffchaff 1, Reed Bunting 2. Adults Blackbird 1 Indeterminate Cetti’s Warbler 2, Chiffchaff 3, Willow Warbler 1

 

Some Photo's from the session.





Chiffchaff



Reed Bunting Male



Willow Warbler

Sightings 39 Species: Water rail quite active also various wildfowl species flying about. Good numbers of Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and Blackcap appear to have arrived during the night; just one or two on the 2nd Apr. About seven Cetti’s Warbler territories; males in song around the reed bed ride. Fewer Reed Bunting for this time of year than expected, hopefully more will arrive.

Blackbird c3 Blackcap c10 Black-headed Gull c15 Blue Tit c5 Bullfinch c4 Buzzard 2 Canada Goose c30 Carrion Crow c8 Cetti's Warbler c7 Chaffinch c3 Chiffchaff c10 Cormorant c1 Dunnock c4 Egyptian Goose 1 Feral Pigeon 8 Gadwall c6 Great Spotted Woodpecker 3 Great Tit c5 Green Woodpecker c1 Grey Heron 2

Jackdaw c5 Long-tailed Tit c6 Magpie c 7 Mallard 9 Moorhen c4 Nuthatch c1 Pheasant c1 Pochard 1 Red Kite 1 Redwing 1 Reed Bunting c5 Robin c5 Shoveler c4 Song Thrush c2 Tufted Duck 6 Water Rail c3 Willow Warbler c5 Woodpigeon c12 Wren c10